All Utah-linked finalists survive to dance again

All four of the "So You Think You Can Dance" finalists with Utah ties survived the first week of eliminations, although it was a close call for one.

Chelsie Hightower, 18, of Orem; Thayne Jasperson, 27, of Springville; and Gev Manoukian, 21, a native of Kaszakhstan who lives in Centerville, were all "safe" when the results of voting by viewers of Fox's dance competition show were announced.

Matt Dorame, 22, a native of Arizona who has lived in Salt Lake City for the past two years while performing with Odyssey Dance Theatre, narrowly avoided elimination. He was half of one of three couples voted in the bottom three by viewers.

After the six performed solos, he was in the judges' bottom two male dancers.

But after being severely criticized by judge Nigel Lythgoe for not showing enough personality, Dorame survived to dance another week when the judges decided to choose "technique over personality" and give him another chance.

Two Californians who danced as partners on Wednesday — Rayven Armijo of La Puente and Jamie Bayard of Palm Springs — were eliminated.

The 18 remaining contestants dance again on Wednesday; two more will be eliminated on Thursday.

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